ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTIONS

Electronic prescribing is now commonly used across Australia. It provides an option for healthcare providers and consumers to use an electronic prescription (QR Token via SMS, email or paper) as an alternative to paper prescriptions. These are part of the broader digital health and medicines safety framework enabling the prescribing, dispensing and claiming of medicines, without the need for a paper prescription.

Electronic prescribing does not fundamentally change existing prescribing and dispensing processes. Consumers can still choose which pharmacy they attend to fill their prescription.

Benefits:

Reduces administrative burden for healthcare providers and organisations (e.g. more effective management of prescription refill requests)
Improves efficiency in prescribing and dispensing medications
Reduces prescription, transcription and dispensing errors
Removes the need for handling and storing of a physical paper prescription

Supplements delivery of telehealth services to ensure patient continuity of care
Provides an opportunity to protect community members and healthcare providers from exposure to infectious diseases (e.g. COVID-19)
Maintains patient privacy and integrity of personal information

Additional resources: